Improvement in cultivators



' UNITED STATES P TENT OFF-ICE.

ISAAC 15 MAHON, OF MARION, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN CULTIVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,593, dated May 19,1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC B. MAHON, of Marion, in the county of Marionand State of Ohio,have invented a new and Improved Cultivator; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, making partof this specification- Figure 1 being a view in perspective of theentire cultivator; Fig. 2, a central vertical section of the lower endof one of the bar-shanks and of a tooth attached, showing the manner ofattaching the tooth; Fig. 3, a front view of a similar part detached.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

The general object of my improvements, and which they combine toaccomplish in a better manner than heretofore, is the production of acultivator which shall especially present the least obstructing surfaceto the impediments which it meets, and the least obstruction to the viewof the attendant in watching and directing its movements, and to furnishthe greatest strength and firmness with the least weight and cost; andit is in relation to these purposes that I desire its novelty andsuperiority to be considered.

I employ iron fpr the principal material, as combining the greateststrength and rigidity with the least bulk of any practicable materialto, attain the purposes; and this material is formed in bars or parts,comparatively thin and wide, and arranged in such a manner as to presentthe edges to the obstructions and to the sight of the operator. Thisform of the parts is also arranged in the matter of strength, so as topresent the edges antagonistic to the greatest strain. A simplereference to the drawings will show how this part of the construction isdisposed to efi'ect the objects in view. The proportions of parts willbe ascertained with sufficient accuracy by those of the drawings,according to any desired scale. I

' I will now proceed to describe more particu- Iarly those featuresrequiring a precise specification.

To attain more effectually the purposes of strength and rigidity withsmall bulk and reduced cost, it is necessary to avoid as much aspossible separable joints. I therefore weld t0- gether the thin bars A AB at the front end a distance of eightinches, more or less, so thatthere can be no play or motion of one bar on the other, thereby enablinga greater height of' construction, so as to pass above the ordinaryobstructions of weeds, &c., and over rows of corn or other growing crop.The middle bar, B, is welded between the two side bars, A A, and turnsdownward, with a rounded shank, b, to receive its tooth D, near thefront end of the whole cultivator. The two side bars, A A, extendbackward considerably farther than the middle bar, and terminate insimilar curved shanks, a a, for the reception of the teeth or shovels.These two outside bars are held and braced apart by a cross-bar, O,which is thin and wide, and placed nearly vertically edgewise, so as tobrace the whole .width of the side bars, and also present but littleobstruction to the view of the attendant. It is secured by two nuts, 0c.

The handles H H are secured on the shanks of forked handle-braces G G,the parts 9 g of each being in one piece and bolted to the side bars, AA, at difierent points, substantially as shown, the forward onegenerally secured by the same nuts, 0 c, as secure the cross-bar 0.These handle-braces may be adjustable, if desired, and in any case areas strong and rigid as well as light and unobstructing as can be. Astretcher-rod, I, connects the two shanks above the forks. The handles HH are generally made of wood.

The teeth, mold-boards, or shovels D D D may be of any desired shape,and they are respectively attached to their shanks, each by a singlebolt, (1, passing back through both the tooth and shank, and secured bya nut, e, as shown in Fig. 2. The teeth are kept from turning by aprojection or wart, f, on the rear side of each entering a hole in theshank, as represented in Figs. 3 and 4.

A chain-hook in the front end of the welded bar serves to draw thecultivator by; and a straight-sided pivot-link in the hook, as shown inFig. l, keeps the chain from unhooking.

I desire it to be understood that I do not claim welding parts together,nor composing the parts of any machine with thin flat bars of iron; nordo I claim mere proportions of parts; but in the invention as abovedescribed What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

The construction and arrangement of the bars A A and B, placedvertically edgewise,

and welded together at their front ends and braced by a thin cross bar,'0, placed vertically edgewise, in combination with the forkedhandle-braces G G, each formed in one piece, in the manner and. for thepurposes herein specified.

The above is a true and full specification of my improved corn fluke orcultivator.

I. B. MAHON.

Witnesses:

J. O. RHOADS, F. B. MEARS.

